ONLINE EXTRA -- DELECTABLE DILL: Cream of Tomato-Dill Soup with Shrimp . . . Dilled Onion Relish . . . Cucumber Dill Sauce for Salmon, etc.

Cream of Tomato-Dill Soup with Shrimp

¾ pound medium (25 to 31 count) unshelled shrimp

2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use

1 medium rib celery, finely chopped

½ cup shallots, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

2 cups half and half

2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. Combine the shells and broth in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the soup, reserving the broth. You should have 2 cups; add water if needed.

Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the shallots soften, about 2 minutes.

Add flour and stir well. Add tomatoes with their juices. Stir in reserved broth, half and half and dill and stir well. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium low. Sim-mer, uncovered, until the soup is lightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring often, just until they turn opaque. Season with salt and pepper. Stir the shrimp into the hot soup and serve.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6.

Dilled Onion Relish

¼ cup olive oil

6 large red onions, thinly sliced

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

¾ cup low-sodium chicken stock or broth

2 tablespoons honey

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt (optional)

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat. Saute onions about 15 minutes or until soft but not browned. Add vinegar and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by about half.

Add stock and simmer until the liquid is again reduced by half.

Add honey and pepper and salt to taste. Remove from heat; stir in dill. Relish can be served warm, cold or at room temperature. Will keep for several days in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed glass jar.

Yield: 6 cups

Approximate nutritional analysis per 2-tablespoon serving: 20 calories, 1 gram fat (no satu-rated), no cholesterol, no protein, 3 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams sugar, no fiber, 2 milli-grams sodium, 5 milligrams calcium.

Cucumber Dill Sauce for Salmon

1 cup Greek-style yogurt

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup chopped fresh dill

Juice and zest (colored portion of peel) of 1 lemon

Zest of 1 orange

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Coarsely ground black pepper

3 cups peeled, seeded and diced cucumbers

8 green onions, trimmed and finely sliced

In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, dill, lemon juice and zest, orange zest, garlic and a dash of pepper flakes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or as long as several days.

Soak diced cucumbers in salted ice water for ½ hour to ensure crispness. Drain; pat dry. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.

Add cucumbers and onions to yogurt mixture. Let sit at room temperature until no longer cold. To serve, spoon over cooked salmon.

Yield: About 4½ cups

Approximate nutritional analysis per ½-cup serving: 90 calories, 8 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams protein, 4 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams sugar, 1 gram fiber, 45 milligrams sodium, 40 milligrams calcium.

Dilled Cucumber and Beet Salad

¼ cup sour cream (see notes)

¼ cup mayonnaise (not reduced-fat or fat-free; see notes)

1 tablespoon vinegar (any type except balsamic)

1 tablespoon minced fresh dill

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1½ teaspoons granulated sugar

4 cups cubed pickled beets, drained (see notes)

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

4 cups peeled, seeded and diced cucumbers

Make the dressing: In a small bowl, mix sour cream and mayonnaise. Put vinegar in an-other small bowl. Mix in dill, pepper, salt and sugar until salt and sugar have dissolved. Stir vinegar mixture into sour cream mixture until well-blended.

In a medium bowl, combine beets and onion. Stir in dressing. (If making ahead, cover and refrigerate as long as several days.)

Just before serving, add cucumbers and toss well.

Notes: For a lower-calorie, lower-fat version, substitute ½ cup low-fat plain yogurt for the sour cream and mayonnaise. Use good quality jarred beets or make your own pickled beets.

Variation: Add any or all of the following for variety -- cold diced cooked potatoes, coarsely chopped radishes, thinly sliced sticks of raw carrot, shaved fresh fennel bulb.

Yield: Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 140 calories, 7 grams fat (1.5 grams satu-rated), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams protein, 17 grams carbohydrates; 13 grams sugar, 2 grams fiber, 220 milligrams sodium, 40 milligrams calcium.

Ceviche of Scallops

1½ pounds scallops

Juice of 6 or 7 limes or lemons

2 to 3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced

3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

1 small red onion, finely chopped

6 tablespoons chopped dill

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt

1 avocado

3 to 4 sprigs dill

If using sea scallops, slice them horizontally. (Keep bay scallops whole.) Place scallops in a rimmed dish and add enough lime or lemon juice to cover. Turn the scallops so that all sides are coated with juice. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or a plate. Marinate in the refrigera-tor for 3 to 4 hours. The scallops should become opaque.

Drain and discard the juice from the scallops. Add jalapenos, tomatoes, onion, chopped dill and olive oil. Season with salt to taste. If not serving immediately, refrigerate until ready to serve.

Peel and slice the avocado; brush the slices with lime juice to prevent discoloring. Garnish scallops with avocado and sprigs of dill.

Note: As in all ceviche recipes, these scallops are "cooked" by the citrus juice. Be sure to buy only the freshest scallops and handle carefully to reduce the chances of food poisoning.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 280 calories, 18 grams fat (2.5 grams satu-rated), 30 milligrams cholesterol, 16 grams protein, 13 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams sugar, 3 grams fiber, 145 milligrams sodium, 40 milligrams calcium.

Chilled Cucumber and Salmon Soup

2 teaspoons olive oil

¾ pound salmon fillet

2 cucumbers

1 cup diced onion

1 cup clam juice

½ cup water

1 cup non-fat, plain yogurt

2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Garnish

2 scallions. sliced

2 crusty rolls

Heat olive oil in a medium-size, nonstick saucepan. Add salmon and saute 3 minutes per side for a ¾-inch piece or until cooked through. If the salmon is thicker, cook another 2 min-utes per side. Remove to 2 large soup bowls and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cut into 2-inch slices. Set aside.

Peel cucumbers and cut 6 slices and set aside or garish. Cut remaining cucumbers in half lengthwise and remove seeds; slice and add to saucepan.

Add onion, clam juice and water. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook until cu-cumbers are soft, about 5 minutes. Place in a blender or food processor and add the yogurt and dill. Blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Chill.

To serve, pour soup over the salmon slices in the two large soup bowls. Place reserved cu-cumber slices in the soup and sprinkle scallions on top. Serve with rolls.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 575 calories, 26 percent of calories from fat, 16.3 grams fat, (3.4 grams saturated), 123 milligrams cholesterol, 53.9 grams protein, 45.5 grams carbohydrates, 2.4 grams fiber, 672 milligrams sodium.

Poached Salmon with Dill Sauce

1 cup bottled clam juice

2 6-ounce wild salmon steaks

¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried

½ tablespoon capers

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place 4 cups water and clam juice in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Slip salmon into liquid and let simmer gently for 5 minutes. While salmon poaches, mix sour cream, lemon juice, dill and capers. Remove salmon with a spatula to two dinner plates. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce on top.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 289 calories, 41 percent of calories from fat, 13.1 grams fat (3.8 grams saturated, 4.1 grams monounsaturated), 108 milligrams cholesterol, 39.4 grams protein, 4.2 grams carbohydrates, 0.1 grams fiber, 108 milligrams sodium.

Greek Tacos

1 pound ground round

½ cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons all-purpose Greek seasoning

1½ teaspoons ground cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup grape or cherry tomatoes, cut into halves or fourths

1 cup fresh spinach, stems removed and discarded

Yogurt Dill Sauce (See recipe below)

3 tablespoons feta cheese

6 miniwheat pocket breads

Cook ground round, onions and garlic in skillet over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until beef is browned; drain well. Add Greek seasoning, cumin, salt and pepper and blend well.

Stir in tomatoes and spinach and cook over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes to allow tomatoes to become juicy and spinach to soften.

Cut pocket breads in half, then spoon mixture into each bread pocket and top with Yogurt Dill Sauce. Sprinkle sparingly with feta cheese.

Yogurt Dill Sauce: Blend together ½ cup nonfat plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon dried dill weed.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 207 calories, 23 percent of calories from fat, 5 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 45 milligrams cholesterol, 19 grams carbohydrates, 21 grams protein, 231 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

Poached Salmon with Dill Sauce

DILL SAUCE:

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper

COURT BOUILLON:

3 cups water

1 cup white wine

6 thin lemon slices

1 onion, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped finely

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

SALMON:

6 6-ounce center-cut salmon fillets, skin removed

Lemon slices and dill sprigs for garnish

Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper and refrigerate, covered.

Combine the court bouillon ingredients in a large, deep skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; reduce to a bare simmer and cook 30 minutes. Remove it from the heat to cool slightly (to about 180 degrees).

Place salmon fillets, skin side down, in skillet; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover skillet tightly and adjust heat to maintain liquid at about 180 degrees (surface will shimmer, not simmer). Cook until fish is just opaque in center, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 5 minutes.

Transfer salmon to platter using a slotted spatula. (Cooking liquid can be reused; refriger-ate up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months.)

Cover salmon with plastic wrap and chill until cold, at least 4 hours. Serve with dill sauce, garnishing with lemon slices and dill sprigs.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 372 calories, 45 percent of calories from fat, 18.2 grams fat (7.2 grams saturated, 5.9 grams monounsaturated), 93.4 milligrams cholesterol, 38.4 grams protein, 5.5 grams carbohydrates, 0.8 grams fiber, 114 milligrams sodium.

Steeped Salmon with Dill-Caper Sauce

2 cups water

1 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine, such chardonnay

1 each: lemon, fresh dill branch

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

4 fillets salmon, about 6 ounces each

1 tablespoon each: minced fresh dill, capers

½ cup regular or low-fat mayonnaise

Heat the water and wine in a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Cut lemon in half; squeeze 1 tablespoon juice from one half into a small bowl; set aside. Cut lemon into thin slices; re-serve four for garnish. Add remaining slices to the skillet. Add the dill branch, salt and pep-percorns to the skillet. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to simmer. Cook 10 minutes.

Add salmon fillets to skillet, skin side up; cover skillet with foil; simmer 4 minutes. Re-move skillet from heat; remove foil. Turn fillets. Cover skillet; let stand, off heat, or until salmon is done, 5 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir the dill and capers into the mayonnaise in a small bowl; stir in reserved lemon juice.

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 493 calories, 63 percent of calories from fat, 34 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 117 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams carbohydrates, 39 grams protein, 2,060 milligrams sodium, 1 gram fiber.